THR Happy to be past the surgery

[benne68]

Great update, @Freyagirl.

 

[Freyagirl]

I decided to park my walker and just use my cane or my walking sticks around the house. Sometimes that seems to work really well. Other times It seems like I’m walking with my feet wide apart and listing from one side to the other. I’m getting a lot more tired. If I remember to stand up straight and tighten my core, I do pretty well. However, clearly I have gotten weak from so many weeks of sitting in my recliner. I need to walk around the house a lot more to try and get my strength back. I think that getting back into the pool and back to my water aerobics will help me a lot. I have about another week before I can get back to the swimming pool. I have been walking around the kitchen and my bedroom without any assistance device and that works OK much of the time. It feels like I am finally getting ready to get back to my life before bad hips. It’s exciting.

 

[mendogal]

I haven't done any water exercises but our members report it's easy to overdo things because, while we're buoyant, water's density offers more resistance than air.
As you've had experience with water exercise you likely know this already.
I hope it's as wonderful as you remember, and it will be a most meaningful milestone!

 

[Freyagirl]

@mendogal I did a few rounds of Aqua Aerobics between hip surgeries and about 15 years with bad hips. I’ve learned when to do a lot and when to really just enjoy the water and the socializing with a bunch of over 65 friends. Some of the exercise is just getting there and getting into the pool. I have the choice of a really warm pool or cool pool depending on how stiff I’m feeling. A lot of the improvement of my physical being is the socializing which exercises my mental wellbeing.

 

[benne68]

A lot of the improvement of my physical being is the socializing which exercises my mental wellbeing.

This is soooo important! We sometimes forget the mind-body connection plays a big role in recovery.

Good for you for recognizing it -- and thank you for sharing it here.

 

[Freyagirl]

I finished my last physical therapy appointment yesterday and was happy to be done. The therapist’s assessment was that my gait was within normal range. That really pleased me because I feel pretty balanced when I am walking now that both hips have been replaced. I can walk very well with my new trekking poles and that will give me a lot of mobility outside my house on uneven ground. My balance on one leg is pretty good, but I still need to do more work there. Overall, I think it’s mostly a need for more and more walking and my favorite exercise in the water. It has been so long since I have walked without significant pain that I can hardly believe how good it feels.

 

[mendogal]

 

[Freyagirl]

Part of my incentive for getting through my recovery and getting back my mobility, was my desire to get back to my summer cabin in Minnesota. It is definitely my happy place and I’ve been coming here since I was six months old and my parents were building the cabin that we still use. There’s a lot of maintenance that comes with owning a cabin. We closed for the winter because the water system isn’t winterized. so in the spring there’s a lot of tasks that need to be done to get it ready for the summer. Yesterday was I need to open the cabin and it was a challenge for me. The first part was a 3 1/2 hour car ride. I was pretty stiff and sore when we got here despite a few stops along the way. I felt bad that I was in no position to carry in the many loads of groceries and bedding that filled our car. However, I did manage to wipe out the refrigerator and put in all the groceries. I made the beds and got the bathroom ready. Then I crashed and took a long nap. It was all worth it as I sat on the porch in the sunshine and watched trumpeter swans, and an eagle, and some loons all out on the lake.

 

[benne68]

It was all worth it as I sat on the porch in the sunshine and watched trumpeter swans, and an eagle, and some loons all out on the lake.

Sounds just lovely!

You had busy day yesterday, so give yourself permission to relax today.

 

[Layla]

A belated Happy One Month Anniversary, Righty!
Enjoy your weekend at the lake. I hope you're able to get a lot of peaceful R&R.
Safe travels back home!
@Freyagirl

 

[Freyagirl]

I am frustrated with the healing of my incision. By this time my left hip incision was totally closed and I was swimming. This time my incision had a slight “gathering” of the skin in a few places which created some overlap and hard to heal spots. Different PA doing the closing I guess. In addition there is an egg sized lump that just now is finally dissolving. On a positive note I don’t have as much numbness and no zingers yet. I shouldn’t complain because everything else has gone smoothly, but I’m ready to get back in the water and my incision isn’t. Bah!

 

[Freyagirl]

I’m three months out from the replacement surgery on my left hip and one month out from surgery on my right hip. I feel like I’m doing really well. I’m much more mobile these days and able to get around the house without a cane unless I’ve been sitting or sleeping for a while. If I’m not really active, I am off my over-the-counter pain meds. I took a couple 3 hour car rides this weekend and that went OK except for some sciatic pain which isn’t really new. I rarely think about the replacement parts in my left hip. It seems just normal to me now. Some other issues that I think were caused by the bad hip alignment, including a lot of back aches are getting better. I don’t feel like this was any kind of a miracle recovery. I’m not ready for running marathons. But I must say it was pretty uneventful, and followed pretty closely to what my expectations were. It helped me a lot to read many of the articles at this site and the material that the surgeon gave me to prepare me. That is not to say it was easy or painless, or without a lot of effort on my part. If you are getting prepared for surgery, part of the preparation is mental. You need to relax and know that it’s a lengthy recovery but that you can do it.

 

[Layla]

I think your first recovery has been pretty remarkable! I can't say that I could endure three hour car rides so early into the healing process, or that I rarely thought about my hip as a prosthetic one...that likely took me a
few years

Wondering if your surgeon viewed your incision lately and if so what were his / her thoughts?

I do believe there is a mental aspect involved in preparing for surgery. Then in recovery, a positive outlook with a focus on a brighter future, but it is difficult for some because we're all wired differently. You're lucky to feel relaxed and patient in letting it all happen naturally.
A great week to you!
@Freyagirl

 

[Freyagirl]

@Layla once again I sent pictures of my incision to my surgeon. She said it looks like it’s healing well. And actually it does finally seem like it’s closing up completely. I have an appointment in a week for my six week post op follow up where she can look at it in person. I’ve been putting some heat on the egg shaped lump that was there, and that seems to be reduced. In addition, a bunch of the swelling overall has gone down, and my weight is moving back to what it was before both surgeries. I’m considering trying to get back into an old, soft pair of jeans. We’ll see.

 

[Layla]

Good news!
You really are doing well given you had both hips replaced within two months and you're only three months out from the first surgery. Amazing, Freyagirl!
Have a great Tuesday!

 

[raylo]

This. I know that some of my positive updates may make it sound like recovery is easy. It is not. There is plenty of discomfort and hard effort, even now when walking mostly without the cane. Like you say, it's just that it is in line with my expectations, at least so far. And ice will continue to be our friend for awhile.

I don’t feel like this was any kind of a miracle recovery. That is not to say it was easy or painless, or without a lot of effort on my part. If you are getting prepared for surgery, part of the preparation is mental. You need to relax and know that it’s a lengthy recovery but that you can do it.

 

[Layla]

I missed, Lefty's, three month post op wishes yesterday.
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
@Freyagirl

 

[Freyagirl]

Thanks, @Layla. Lefty is very happy and is serving me so well. He is willing to bend enough for me to put on socks these days. Righty is still a little stiff, but rarely sore. I can now sleep on both sides which is just wonderful and makes my days so much easier. Each day seems to bring more strength and energy. I’m getting ready for a good summer.

 

[benne68]

Lefty is very happy and is serving me so well. He is willing to bend enough for me to put on socks these days.

Putting on socks is a major milestone! Congrats!

Rightie will get there in its own time. You are doing great.

 

[Freyagirl]

It wasn’t pretty, but I made it down the stairs to my lower level going step over step instead of toddler style. I came back up step over step as well. Haven’t been able to do that for two years! It’s a big win .